Honoring Our Heroes

Lt Col Stephen Montgomery Davis: Age 57

Lt Col Stephen M. Davis served 20 years in the United States Air Force. His Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) were engineer and program manager throughout his military career. He worked as Acquisition Manager for 11 years, as Executive Officer above Wing Level for one year and Development Engineer for eight years. Lt Col Davis received the following medals, decorations, citations, and awards: Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one oak leaf cluster, National Defense Medal with one service star, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Air Force Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (pistol) and Air Force Training Ribbon.

Lt. Col Davis was born February 21, 1966, to his parents, Michael and Colette Davis in Houston, TX. He was reared in Decatur, AL, and there he graduated from Austin High School in 1984.

He then graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. Degree in Aerospace Engineering and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in December 1988.

His extensive military assignments began with service at Vandenberg, Air Force Base (AFB) for four years working first as a launch systems engineer and satellite controller with the Atlas E Rocket. He tested rockets and satellites before launching them to make sure they would be successful. While at Vandenberg, he was selected to be on a team of critical technology monitors for launches of satellites in China where in 1992 he served two months at a Chinese Red Army base in the Gobi Desert. His second assignment was at Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM, as a researcher and then Branch Chief in Phillips Laboratory, the Air Force research laboratory for materials and systems used in space. While there, he was working on a Master's Degree in Material Engineering from Auburn University by correspondence and completed the degree in 1998. His third assignment during 1996-1999 was at Robins AFB, GA, working with C-130 aircraft as a Systems Program Officer. He monitored the health and operational readiness of the C-130 fleet, and he also was responsible for converting C-130 cargo haulers to combat search and rescue aircraft (CSAR). The converted C-130s would fly over areas looking for missing airmen or soldiers and refuel CSAR helicopters in mid-air. He next went to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, for four years where he had four different assignments, namely, (1) Program Manager responsible for F-22 test aircraft, (2) Commander's Action Group project officer for technology transfer, (3) Executive Officer at Air Force Materials Command (AFMC) and (4) Fighter/Bomber Support Lead for AFMC. Lt Col Davis then served at Eglin AFB, FL, 2003-2006, as Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile, Extended Range (JASSM-ER) flight commander.

In that role, he was responsible for increasing the operational range of the JASSM stealth cruise missile. Lt. Col Davis's final assignment was at Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL, 2006-2009 in various management positions including Deputy Director over all of the Air Force's purchasing, programming, and installation of network-ready computers, printers, and cell phones.

Lt. Col Davis retired from military service on August 31, 2009, but continued working at Gunter Annex as a civil servant in various management positions until taking a deferred retirement in June 2021 in the equivalent grade of GS-15. During this time, he helped the Air Force to modernize its software by creating and awarding the Air Force's largest suite of contracts for acquiring technology products and services. He also served as Branch Chief for base infrastructure, medical, and wartime readiness software systems for the entire Air Force.

Lt Col Davis and his wife, Robyn, have been married 33 years, and they have three children and one grandchild. He is a member of First Methodist Church in Prattville, AL, where he has chaired and continues to serve on several committees. He enjoys outdoor activities including hunting, hiking, and camping as well as watching Auburn University's football games. Since 2010, he and his wife have owned Home Helpers, a business that provides long-term and recuperative care for adults of all ages, as well as care for new moms.

Lt Col Davis's conclusions about his military service are: "I had an easy job as I never went into combat. As a youngster, I was always patriotic so service gave me an opportunity to give back. I was able to help our military to have the systems to protect our country and to contribute to the effort that makes us free and keeps us free."